The present invention relates to a back-lighted display arrangement and, more particularly, to a back-lighted display arrangement including a multi-compartment light baffle formed of a compressible material for preventing the escape of light from one compartment of the light baffle to an adjacent compartment.
Light baffles for use in back-lighted display arrangements are well known to those skilled in the art. These light baffles generally have a grid-like configuration defining a plurality of lamp compartments and are often constructed of a number of slotted strips of material (e.g., of "fish paper") interconnected together in a grid-like pattern to define the plurality of lamp compartments or, alternatively, of cast metal (e.g., aluminum) or plastic. Small lamps are physically disposed within the compartments of the light baffles and the light emitted by the lamps is used to back-light display areas (e.g., containing indicia) of display panels in abutment with the baffles. While the light baffles as described above function in a generally satisfactory manner, it is difficult, due to the rigid and unyielding nature of the light baffles, to obtain a tight physical seal and a positive light seal between the light baffles and the mating surfaces of the display panels and the lamp-carrying assemblies (e.g., printed circuit boards). As a result, it is possible for light in one compartment of a light baffle to leak around the edges of the compartment or otherwise escape into one or more adjacent compartments and to undesirably back-light the display areas associated with the adjacent compartments. The nature of the light baffles also requires that the mating surface of the baffles and the other elements of the assembly be flat, smooth and lack even minor surface irregularities (e.g., solder bumps or electrical leads on a printed circuit board on which the lamps are disposed). Otherwise, care must be taken in the designing of the baffles to avoid the surface irregularities. The light baffles as described above are also susceptible to vibration and of falling out of position or alignment with the display panels and/or the lamps.